Community Cookbook: Asian dishes to try in the Year of the Horse
Although the Lunar New Year started on Feb. 17, any day of the year is a good day to celebrate Asian food, especially when noodles and spring rolls are involved.
Fresh udon noodles, a Japanese food, are plump and chewy. They’re likely to steal the spotlight in any dish, regardless of the other ingredients. Pork Yaki Udon is a quick Japanese stir-fry that fully utilizes the qualities of udon.
Homemade spring rolls are fresher and more flavorful than their frozen counterparts in grocery stores, where convenience is the number one ingredient. Spring rolls aren’t particularly difficult to make, but they do take some time and effort. Many, including myself, hesitate to make spring rolls because of the deep-frying, which can be messy. Baking eliminates that problem. Baked Pork and Shrimp Spring Rolls are sure to elevate your eating pleasure. If pork and shrimp aren’t your thing, use the recipe’s methods and stuff the spring rolls with the ingredients that you like.
Southeast-Asian Dipping Sauce provides a sweet and sour, slightly heated sauce to accompany the spring rolls. Serve spring rolls with several dipping sauces for a more memorable eating experience. Preparing Microwaved Egg Garnish is quick, easy, and clean. Slice or chop the omelet for use in many Asian dishes and salads, or eat the bowl-shaped omelet as it is.
Pork Yaki Udon (stir-fried pork and udon noodles)
Fresh udon noodles are plump and chewy. They remind me of my Grandma Wadsack’s homemade noodles, though she used eggs to make hers. The barbeque-y sauce perfectly complements the pork and vegetables in this Japanese-inspired dish. You can find fresh udon noodles in the vegetable departments of most grocery stores.
⅓ cup oyster-flavored sauce
⅓ cup hoisin or barbeque sauce (I like K.C. Masterpiece Original)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 (7- to 8-ounce) packages fresh udon noodles
2 large whole eggs
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
4 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil, divided
1 pound ground pork
¼ teaspoon salt
2-3 green onions, thinly sliced, white and green portions separated
1-2 large garlic cloves, peeled and very finely chopped
1 teaspoon minced ginger root
1½ cup, sliced into ½- by 1½-inch strips, green cabbage
1½ cup bean sprouts
Toasted sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
Make the sauce by combining the first three ingredients (through rice vinegar) in a small bowl. Remove the noodle blocks from the packages and slice into halves or quarters for shorter noodles, if preferred (caution: cutting noodles is considered bad luck in Asia). Add to 6 cups of lightly salted, boiling water. Gently loosen the noodles with a fork as they simmer until tender but still a little firm in the center, about 6-8 minutes. Rinse with cold water until cooled throughout; drain well. Set an electric wok to 370 degrees. Use medium-high heat for a stovetop wok or pan. Heat for 4-5 minutes (avoid doing this with nonstick cookware). Add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Add the eggs and cook, breaking them into 1-inch pieces with a spatula as they set. Transfer to a bowl. Add the pork and salt. Cook until no longer pink, stirring frequently to break up the clumps. Transfer to a container using a slotted spoon and discard the fat. Add the remaining oil to the wok or pan. Add the white portion of the green onion, ginger root, and garlic. Cook for 15-20 seconds. Add the cabbage and cook for 90 seconds. Add the bean sprouts and cook for 1 minute. Add the noodles and cook until heated through, stirring frequently to keep them from sticking. Add the pork and cook until heated through and well mixed, stirring frequently. Turn the heat off and combine with the sauce (I like to do this in a bowl rather than the wok or pan). Add more sauce, if preferred. Stir in the eggs and garnish with toasted sesame seeds, if used.
Notes: Be sure to have all ingredients measured and nearby when you start cooking, as it proceeds very quickly.
Yields: Four to six main-dish servings
Baked Pork and Shrimp Spring Rolls
Many consider spring rolls and egg rolls to be quintessential Asian food. They make a great appetizer or side dish in any Asian-themed dinner. They also make great snacks any time of the day. For less muss and fuss and better nutrition, try baking spring rolls rather than deep-frying them. Either way, they’re delicious! Serve the spring rolls with several simple dipping sauces.
¼ pound ground pork, bulk regular or hot pork sausage
¼ pound shelled, deveined shrimp, drained and chopped
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely shredded cabbage
1 cup shredded carrot
¾ cup finely chopped celery
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster-flavored sauce
1 tablespoon cooking oil
2-3 teaspoons minced ginger root
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1-2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Water
20 spring roll wrappers
Cook the pork or sausage (if using ground pork, add salt and black pepper, to taste) in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently to break the meat up into small pieces. Drain, if needed. Transfer to a medium bowl and continue to crumble it with a fork, if needed. Combine all ingredients, except the water and wrappers, in the bowl. To make the spring rolls, lay four wrappers out at a time, leaving the rest tightly covered. Position a wrapper on a flat surface with a point facing toward you. Brush the farthest two edges and point with a slight amount of water. Place two rounded tablespoons of filling on the wrapper, one-third the way in from the nearest point. Lift the nearest flap over the filling. Fold the left and right ends over the flap and tightly roll the wrapper over the farthest point. Place on a 13- by 9-inch shallow baking pan, seam-side down; cover with a damp towel. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, leaving a little space between each, using 2 pans. Brush a light coat of cooking oil on all surfaces of the spring rolls. Bake on a rack in the middle-high position of an oven preheated to 400 degrees until golden brown on both sides, 8-10 minutes, turning over at 5 minutes for even cooking.
Notes: The spring rolls may be deep-fried, if preferred. Other vegetables, such as bean sprouts, Napa cabbage, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, and jicama, may be substituted for some of the vegetables. For vegetable spring rolls, substitute 2 cups of finely chopped vegetables for pork and shrimp.
Yields: 20 spring rolls
Southeast-Asian Dipping Sauce
This sauce is similar to many of the sauces found in Southeast Asia. Fish sauce is used in that region much like soy sauce in Central and Northern Asia.
3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce (mae ploy)
2 tablespoons fish sauce (nuoc mam)
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Combine the ingredients in a small bowl. Let rest for an hour or so to allow the flavors to blend. Stir well before using.
Notes: For added heat, stir in ½-1 teaspoon of minced red Thai chili or red pepper flakes. You can easily increase the quantity of sauce, if needed.
Yields: About ½ cup
Microwaved Egg Garnish
Use this egg garnish to top Asian dishes, as well as soups and salads. The cooked egg, sliced into strips or cubes, is visually impressive. It requires no cooking fat, and the flavor is excellent.
2 large whole eggs
⅛ teaspoon salt
Dash of black or white pepper
Beat the ingredients in a small microwavable bowl (a 10-ounce glass custard cup is perfect) with a fork until well blended. Microwave at 60% power for a total of 2 minutes (for a 1,000-watt oven). Stir the cooked portion to the center with a fork at 30 seconds and every 20 seconds after, scraping the side of the bowl each time. When the eggs are mostly set, use the fork to guide the remaining liquid to the sides for more even cooking (the eggs will puff up like a soufflé). Stop cooking when the eggs are fully set; loosen the side and bottom of the eggs. Let cool in the container (the eggs will quickly collapse while cooling). Flip the eggs out onto a work surface and slice into strips or cubes, as needed.
Yields: About ⅔ cup
Contact Dick Sellers at dickskitchencorner@outlook.com